La Femme Nikita Season 4 Episode 4 – Into The Looking Glass

Synopsis: Michael has returned to Section with a still modified Nikita and coerced Operations into reinstating him. With Adrian incapacitated will Nikita ever be herself again?

Michael and Nikita return from a mission as Madeline and Operations discuss their situation. Operations remarks that Michael seems to be accepting the situation. Madeline says that in seven days Nikita’s Gelman process will be irreversible. Birkhoff delivers a gene-coded message to Michael that was on a delayed transmission, sent a week ago. Michael views it in his office after activating a security field. The message is from Adrian, outlining the process to restore Nikita to her former self – in particular what emotions to stimulate.

Interrogation. Nikita insists on staying to watch the torture with Madeline. Michael gives Walter an equipment list – some high-tech equipment to use on Nikita. Then Michael reports to Madeline. She inquires, "How’s Adrian?"
"Fine."
"Gelman’s process no longer exists…Your plans for Nikita?"
"As long as you keep giving her the maintenance drugs you’ve nothing to worry about."
"Operations is thinking of reinstating your cancellation orders…you’re not afraid to die."
"No, you’ve seen to that." Michael turns and walks out that door.

Operations tells Madeline to increase the man power looking for Adrian. They decide to keep Michael busy until Nikita’s process is done. Then Operations briefs the team on the Terrogamo mission. Michael asks Birkhoff where Nikita’s at. He tells him she’s on a mission in Liberia and already signed up for another mission. Michael requests the Liberia profile, planning a way to get Nikita on down-time. Dante, Terrogamo’s courier, is abducted by Michael’s team and the bioware recovered. Michael reports success to Section and returns. He meets up with Walter in a corridor. "Liberia went bad. Nikita was ID’d and has a hitsquad after her." Michael simply replies, "I know." Walter realizes Michael was behind it. "Don’t worry, you’re not involved." A masked man enters Nikita’s apartment and tries to drug her, she fights him off shooting him in the shoulder. Nikita returns to Section the next morning and asks Michael to watch her back, while squeezing his shoulder testing to see if he’s shot. "We have to protect eachother," he replies, unmoved by her actions.

Nikita reports to Madeline. She doesn’t believe it was Michael and Madeline agrees, "Michael would never have failed." Operations orders Nikita to move to secondary quarters. Walter steps into Michael’s office, "Don’t know how you did it but Nikita’s on permanent down-time." Michael tells Walter to find out where she’s at. Operations meets Michael in a corridor and gives him his undercover assignment as a courier to meet Terrogamo. He tells Operations he’ll take care of it then finds Birkhoff and tells him to take care of Terrogamo. A stunned Birkhoff replies, "Me? I’m not a field op." But Michael talks him into it and tells Birkhoff he needs a window.

Nikita leaves secondary housing and Michael shoots her with a tranquilizer, then sends a Nikita look-alike down the street fooling the guard that follows her. Nikita awakes at Michael’s hideout – some semi-remote cabin. Nikita struggles at her handcuffs and demands, "Why am I here? …I don’t care about you." "Yes you do. You just need time to remember." Then he forces her to drink some medicated water and begins her treatment. Back in Section, Birkhoff gets a gun from Walter and tells Walter that he’s going to cover for Michael. Back at the hideout, Nikita is writhing in pain with a device on her head that’s apparently manipulating her thoughts. She notices Michael’s bandaged arm and realizes he was the intruder from the other night. She pleads with him, "I need to get back on my maintenance." He continues to comfort her as her symptoms get worse. Later, he unchains her and briefly carries her to a window before taking her downstairs to the sensory deprivation chamber – a long black tube with electronics attached. Michael returns upstairs to review Adrian’s message. Meanwhile Nikita awakes and moments later a sound prompts Michael to return downstairs. He sees Nikita collapsed on the floor and lays his gun down beside her so he can check on her. She grabs the gun and instructs him to handcuff himself to a chair, then knocks him out before leaving. Nikita hitches a ride to a pay phone and initiates a secure line to Operations. Meanwhile, Michael recovers and breaks the arms of the chair to escape. He appears moments later riding a motorcycle. Nikita is still waiting to speak to Operations when Michael rides up beside her, "You have to decide for yourself.". Nikita hangs up. "What have the done to me?" she moans. (I think he planned her escape. He would know better than to lay his weapon easily within her reach. And he apparently scouted ahead for the nearest phone since he knew exactly where to find her.)

Operations and Madeline confer, they discuss Nikita’s disconnected call and Michael’s unknown whereabouts. They suspect they may be together. Back at Michael’s hideout, Nikita awakes in the sensory deprivation chamber. Michael is hovering over her. "Michael, I love you." in her familiar soft voice. They make love.

Section One. Operations departs for a meeting. A scared Birkhoff is about to leave when Walter walks up, "Mind if I tag along?" They pull off the cover up with Walter encouraging Birkhoff.

Michael’s hideout, "We have to be stronger than them."
"I’d rather die than go back now," Nikita replies.
"Don’t say that…I can’t live without you."
Operations and Madeline greet Michael as he returns, Operations congratulates him on the Terrogamo mission. Nikita steps in after Michael followed by the captured hitsquad. Operations congratulates her as well and tells them both to report to a briefing in one hour. Madeline and Operations share a thoughtful expression as Michael and Nikita walk away. Madeline debriefs Nikita, "We know you were with Michael…what happened?" Nikita replies at Madeline’s prompting, "He kidnapped me. Tried to turn me. I lied to him about my emotions so he would return to Section." As Nikita steps into the hallway, "I did this for Section, not you." Madeline remarks that Michael can concentrate on his job now. A pleased Operations replies, "Nikita, a team player…never thought I’d see the day." Michael and Nikita walk their separate ways after briefly touching hands.